City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 17, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.M
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Accept 2023 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Grant Funds and Approve Second Modification to Agreement with Fire Resources, LLC Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant awarded in the amount of $880,000 from the federal Department of Homeland Security for the 2023 State Homeland Security Program grant in the Fire Department and City Manager’s Office, and to accept all grant renewals;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant, all grant renewals, and modifications;
4. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a second modification to agreement #11339 in the amount of $185,000 with Fire Resources, LLC to assist the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association Regional Training Group hosted by the Santa Monica Fire Department. This will result in a five-year amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $740,000, with future year funding contingent on the availability of grant funds and Council budget approval; and
5. Authorize a budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
Each year, the Federal government allocates grant funding to enhance regional preparedness for disasters, emergencies, and other threats to homeland security. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, awarded the Santa Monica Fire Department and the City of Santa Monica a grant totaling $880,000 from the 2023 State Homeland Security Program (“SHSP”). Staff 2 of 6
recommends that Council authorize acceptance of the 2023 SHSP grant funds and execution of a subrecipient agreement with the County of Los Angeles for a performance period of September 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026. The 2023 SHSP grant is administered by the County of Los Angeles on behalf of the Los Angeles-Long Beach Urban Area, which includes Santa Monica. Staff also recommends a second modification to the City’s agreement with Fire Resources, LLC, which assists the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association (“LAAFCA”) Regional Training Group (“RTG”), to increase the not to exceed amount by $185,000, reflecting the recent receipt of 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative grant funds.
Discussion
The State Homeland Security Program is focused on enhancing regional preparedness and capabilities in major metropolitan areas. The Santa Monica Fire Department received grant funds to support the Fire Department’s core public safety mission as well as regional homeland security goals. The following are the Program’s focus areas and national priorities:
1. Enhancing information and intelligence sharing and cooperation with federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (National Priority)
2. Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places (National Priority)
3. Enhancing cybersecurity (National Priority)
4. Enhancing community preparedness and resilience (National Priority)
5. Combatting domestic violent extremism (National Priority)
6. Strengthen emergency communications capabilities through planning, governance, technology, and equipment
7. Enhance medical and public health preparedness
8. Strengthen information sharing and collaboration (non-Fusion Center)
9. Enhance multi-jurisdictional/inter-jurisdictional all-hazards/whole community incident planning, response, and recovery capabilities
10.Protect critical infrastructure and key resources (includes food and agriculture)
11.Enhancing election security (National Priority)
The SHSP grant is 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and managed through the State of California’s Office of Emergency Services. 3 of 6
There is no requirement of a local match. The City of Santa Monica has received over $20 million in federal homeland security grant funding since 2003. These funds have been used to purchase necessary interoperable communication and infrastructure equipment, supplies, and training in direct support of overall regional goals to promote effective information gathering, sharing, and response to threats and/or acts of terrorism. These funds cannot be used for general purposes and must be specified at the time of application. Homeland security purchases must be pre-approved by the state and align with grant guidelines.
The 2023 SHSP grant will fund the following projects:
• Countywide Internet Satellite System ($425,000) – establishment of a countywide internet satellite system linking 35 cities, 8 Disaster Management Area Coordinators, and 5 county departments.
• EOC Cadre Program ($300,000) – provides Operational Area cities and agencies with a cost-effective method to train their Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operations staff members. The program also creates an additional training track called the EOC Academy to enhance regional capabilities for Intelligence & Information Sharing, Operational Coordination, Operational Communication, and Situational Assessment.
• CBRNE Equipment ($35,570) – funds the purchase of equipment to respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives. • Hazmat Training ($114,430) – funds Hazardous Materials classes at Regional Training Centers for Fire personnel.
• Mobilization Exercises ($5,000) – funds multiple cities’ MOBEX, the Mobilization Exercises for Regional Task Force Teams within LA County. These exercises will enhance first responders’ coordination and practice readiness responding to threats, hazards, and emergencies.
The Office of Emergency Management in the City Manager’s Office will manage the Countywide Internet Satellite System and EOC Cadre Program. The Fire Department will receive funds for CBRNE Equipment, Hazmat Training, and Mobilization Exercises.
The grant has a performance period of September 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026, and is reimbursement-based.
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Staff also recommends a second modification to Agreement no.11339 with Fire Resources, LLC. Since 2020, the Santa Monica Fire Department has been awarded grant funding to host a professional services contract with a subject matter expert (Training Officer) to assist in fulfilling the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association Regional Training Group’s mission to provide unified, innovative, quality training to enhance firefighter safety and responder effectiveness. Fire Resources was selected to develop, direct, and execute strategies to ensure effective delivery of training to and for Los Angeles area fire service agencies and stakeholders. The Training Officer will coordinate the facilitation of regional training opportunities, perform regional research, and prepare reports, presentations, and briefings for the region’s Fire Chiefs, executive and other fire service audiences on relevant fire service issues. The first modification, approved by Council on July 18, 2023, increased the amount of the contract by $185,000 from the award of 2022 SHSP grant funds and extended the term to December 5, 2026. The proposed second modification would increase the amount of the contract by $185,000, reflecting the new grant funds received by the Fire Department (UASI 2023 in June 11, 2024), and would extend the term of the agreement by 12 months to December 5, 2027.
Environmental Review
The acceptance of federal grant funds and the second modification to the agreement with Fire Resources to increase the not to exceed amount are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The grant funds and agreement modification would enhance public safety with equipment, programs, training, and exercises. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the modification to the MSA would not result in a physical environmental effect on the environment, and as such is exempt from CEQA.
Past Council Actions
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Meeting Date Description
11/15/2022 Award RFP #325 to Fire Resources, LLC to assist Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association (LAAFCA) Regional Training Group hosted by Santa Monica Fire Department
07/18/2023 Accept 2022 SHSP grant and First Modification to Agreement #11339 with Fire Resources, LLC
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, for the 2023 State Homeland Security Grant Program in the amount of $880,000 to fund projects, purchase equipment, and fund training courses in the City Manager’s Office and the Fire Department.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment.
FY 2024-25 Grant Budget Amendment
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20200002.40429D $725,000 20200002.55517D $725,000
20190001.40429D $155,000 20190001.55517D $155,000
Total $880,000 Total $880,000
If modifications or renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
Staff also seeks authority to approve funding from the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to increase the amount of Agreement No. 11339 with Fire Resources, LLC by $185,000.
Agreement Modification Request
Agreement #
Current
Authorized
Amount
Modified Request
Amount
FY 2024-25 Budget
Account #
Total Contract
Amount
11339 $555,000 $185,000 20190001.55518H $740,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. 6 of 6
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Fire Resources Oaks
B. Fire Resources FY24-25 Living Wage Certification
C. PSA-11339 Fire Resources Original-correct CCS
D. Levine Act Fire Resources LLC